294 WILD NEIGHBORS CHAP. 



pond are often kept captive, and make interest- 

 ing pets. They must be kept chained, however, 

 or they will wander away and forget to return ; 

 and also because of their mischievous pranks. 

 They grow slowly, and change from the summer 

 to winter pelage by the loss of the under-fur in 

 tufts, replaced by longer hair than forms the warm- 

 weather coat. They are not only intelligent, but 

 show marked love of companionship, a pair getting 

 on together most lovingly, missing each other very 

 decidedly when separated, and exhibiting some 

 affection for their master. This, however, seems 

 to depend, as it should, upon the animal's appre- 

 ciation of kindness, for an abusive person will ex- 

 cite an undying enmity. Godman found that the 

 common fear of their biting was not justified by 

 their disposition, those he kept being entirely harm- 

 less even to little children ; but they always in- 

 stinctively bite when suddenly hurt, as might often 

 happen from a careless child. He mentions that 

 his young raccoons would spring in a fury and bite 

 at the leg of a table or corner of a door against 

 which they had knocked themselves in their play. 

 Dr. Godman's account contains many other inter- 

 esting and suggestive particulars as to their habits. 

 Another excellent history of pet raccoons is con- 

 tained in Merriam's " Mammals of the Adirondacks," 

 showing among other things their innate inquisi- 

 tiveness and propensity for mischief, so that it will 

 not do to give them the liberty a pet skunk enjoys. 



